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Sunday, March 29, 2009

My mentee


Jeanna, sweet Jeanna.
How I love her!
Calling a person your mentee might sound strange to some.
But not in our church.
Our church has been intentional about having mentoring relationships among the older women and younger women, according to Titus 2, and so many Proverbs, telling us to seek wisdom from the older and wiser.
While it is incredibly hard to believe that I would be called older and wiser, when you live in a college town, older is awfully young. (At least that's the way I choose to look at it!)
While I still lack wisdom in so many areas, and need mentoring myself, I have walked where these college girls have walked. I have done things wrong and done them right. I've learned a LOT along the way, becoming a wife and a Mom. I have a lot to learn, but I also have something to share. The good, bad, and the ugly. Mostly, I get to share what I've learned from God's Word and how He's shown me how to live God's Word more and more.
I've had some amazing mentees. These girls are permanent places in my life. Some of them are "growing up" and becoming mentors themselves. It's so sweet to watch!
This year, I got our wonderful Jeanna!
She is precious to us. She does life with us. Best of all, she runs with me, which is incredibly time efficient and we have the best conversations when we're running.(She ran half of my long run with me this morning, which was AWESOME!)
There are no children around, no distractions. (Besides the labored breathing and aching knees, on my part. Not hers. She's seriously athletic, young and flawless.)
She makes smoothies with me when we come home.
She plays with my kids, and has now become a top-ranked babysitter since she rented the Power Rangers movie for them. (That's really all it takes around here.)
She loves and serves our family, and is a joy to have around.
What I love about her most is the way she pursues the Lord with everything in her. She is driven in her pursuit of holiness, and so teachable.
I am blessed by her passion for Him and desire to obey Him.
Older women who love the Lord, if you don't have one of these, you don't know what you're missing.
It can be scary opening up your home, your life, your past, your everything to a younger woman.
But believe me, it is so worth it. They are cool. They help you buy cool jeans and give you their left-over clothes, which I gladly take!
They remind you of what it's like to be in their stage of life, and where you've come from.
They are a blessing.
Jeanna, we love you and are thankful for you!

3 comments:

Jeanna said...

Jenn! This seriously brought me to tears. I keep reading it! I love you and your family and enjoy every moment I am blessed to be able to spend with you all. Your heart and godliness amaze me and your knowledge of the word! Wow! You are incredible! You have given me such a model of what a woman of God truly looks like. I am not same girl I was when i first sat on your couch (so nervous by the way)back in November. I am so grateful for you and how the Lord had used your life to draw me closer to Him. The Lord is so good :)

I love you!

Jeanna

Adam & Emily said...

Jenn,

This Jeanna sounds pretty sweet. I am jealous of her and the time she gets to spend with the Bacak nation!! How very blessed she is!

Em

Jodi said...

Jeanna, You are so lucky to have the Bacaks in your life! They are amazing and Jenn has taught me so much. Just like the comment before mine, I am as well a little jealouse that you get to hang out with her all the time! Jenn is preciouse to me! Ask so many questions and soak up all her wisdom. ;)

p.s. I also suggest watching her cook. SOO many of the meals I make on a regular basis I learned while living in the Bacak household!